Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 53, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 December 1908 — The New Mayor Based on G.H.Broadhurst's Successful Play THE MAN OF THE HOUR [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The New Mayor Based on G.H.Broadhurst's Successful Play THE MAN OF THE HOUR

BY AL BERŢ PAYSON TERHUNE

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CHAPTER XVIII. w 'tNDER the maniac fury that | I blazed from Thompson’s eyes | J Wainwright shrank back in panic dread. , t “He’s —he’s mad!” cried the financier. “Don't let him at me!” For Thompson seemed about to hurl himself on his foe. “Go easy, son,” adjured Phelan, laying a restraining hand on the secretary’s shoulder. The latter, recalled to himself by the pressure, relaxed bls tense, menacing attitude and, with hysterical revulsion of feeling, sank Into a chair, burying his face in bis arms on the table before him. "Nine horrible years!” he sobbed brokenly. "Nine awful years of slavery, of debasement! Watching, bating, longing to crush him, and, oh, the time has come, thank God! Thank God!” “You're all in, lad!” muttered Phelan, passing an arm about the shaking youth and lifting him to his feet “Come with me. I’ll send out and get you a bracer.” Thompson, exhausted by bls emotions, obeyed mechanically, but at the farther door paused for a moment and •gain fixed his wild, bloodshot eyes on Wainwright’s haggard face. “Remember,” be threatened, bis voice dead and expressionless, “when you get out of jail I’ll be waiting for you. And as sure as God’s justice lives I’ll kill you as I’d kill a dog! Nine years waiting and—l’ll murder you as you murdered my”— Phelan bad forced him over the threshold, and the slamming of the door behind the two seemed to break the strange spell that bad fallen on all. Wainwright straightened himself, glanced fearfully about, tried to regain his shaken composure and opened his mouth to speak. But the hurried entrance of Williams prevented him. "Mr. Horrlgan,” gasped the excited newcomer, “I’ve been looking everywhere for you!” "What’s wrong now?” snapped the boss. “Has”—

“The Borough bill’s come up at last, ■nd”— “The gallery crowd’s rough housing the place? Then"— "No, they’re quiet as death; too quiet, ▲nd they have long ropes, and they’re •triaging them over the”— “Call In the police, then!” ordered Horrlgan. “Now’s the time for them.” "I don’t dare,” protested Williams. "Those men In the gallery are desperate. They're dangerous. If”— “The police?” Interrupted Bennett ■harply. “What are you talking about?” “My orders!” returned Horrlgan. “I ■ent for them. Tell them to”— M “Don’t do it!” commanded Bennett in anger. “Do as I say, Williams!” countermanded Horrlgan. “Have them In and”— "Phelan," interposed Bennett as the aiderman. having left Thompson In other hands, came into the room, “go to the sergeant in charge of the police Mr. Horrlgan sent for. Tell him I say he must keep his men wheve they are and take no orders except from me Understand?” - “I sure do!” grinned Phelan, with a delighted grin at the wrathful Horrigan. “An' I'll see they”— * “You need not trouble!” croaked Wainwright, his throat dry and constricted with fear. “The bill is withdrawn !” “That goes!” corroborated Horrlgan. "Do you hear that. Williams? Mr. Wainwright withdraws the Borough bill. Attend to it in a rush, man. Never mind about the police.” “Weil, Friend Horrlgan,” blandly observed Phelan as Williams hastened out, “I told you I'd cross two sticks of dynamite under you some day. Likewise 1 done it.” “What had you to”— “To do with smashin’ you? Only that I put his honor on to the bill in the ■first place an’ then sicked him on to Soberts an’ discovered Thompson an’ turned him over to Mr. Bennett That's about all. But 1 guess It’s enough to make your p'litlcal career feel like it bad a long line of carriages drivln’ slow behind it Chesty Dick, my old chum!” Horrlgan had turned his back on bis victorious tormentor and was facing the mayor. “Bennett” said he, “you forget I’ve ■till got that report about your father, and”— "Tomorrow's papers will publish It” supplemented Alwyn. “No, thgy won’t,” contradicted Hor-

rlgan. "That would be bad politics The report will hold over till”— "You’re mistaken.” Interrupted Bennett calmly. "I've sent a copy of that report today to every paper In the city and have accompanied it with a statement that I shall make good to the city treasury every penny overcharged in the library and aqueduct contracts. So”— Horrlgan was ataring at him open mouthed. “Bennett” he muttered in genuine wonderment. "1 don’t know whether you’re the craziest fool or the cleverest politician In the state.” “Your honor.” humbly pleaded Wainwright. who for several minutes had been trying In vain to draw Bennett aside for a private word. "I am an old man Is there no way of—of showing me mercy In my”“Yes.” retorted Alwyn "You shall receive exactly the same mercy you have always shown to your own tinan•ial enemies— no more. no le«s” “Oh. cut out the hf'ie. VVnfnwri r'itencored Ilorrignn in high con tempt ns lie linked Ids arm In the broket) financier's and hauled him roughly from the room “What's happened to your nerve? Vou're almost ns bad as Gibbs You're ’PI rich, and as long as you've got pie: of cash no law In America n ed eve bother von There’s lots of talk about indictments, and arrests, and invest ga’ions. and prosecutions, and all that sort of rot But I don’t see any millionaires going to jail. Come on across to my law-

yer's.” The boss and financier departed without a backward look, leaving Phelan and Bennett alone on the late scene of battle. “Say, your honor.” observed the aiderman slyly, “there’s one very important engagement you’ve clean forgot. Sit right where you are a minute, an’ I’ll send the party tn here and see that nobody butts in on you till you want ’em to. Oh. but we didn’t do a thing to Horrlgan! He*fl have to watch which way his toes point to see whether he’s goln’ or cornin'!” The alderman sped on his mission, leaving Alwyn seated alone, dejected, miserable, in the deserted committee room. Now that the crisis was past his heart was strangely heavy. He had won. But at what cost? At the loss of all he held dear. Alwyn Bennett knew, too, that the real fight was but just begun—a fight that had waged since the world began and must last to judgment day—the hopeless, uphill battle of decency against evil, of honesty against graft Horrlgan’s sneering words, “I don’t see any millionaires going to jail,” stuck disagreeably in the young mayor’s memory. Their brutal, bald truth

jarred on his belief in the Inevitable triumph of good. After all. was the dreary, self sacrificing battle against an unconquerable foe worth while? Could the great god graft ever be checked In his mastery of the earth ? If— A rustle of skirts startled Alwyn from his dark thoughts. “Dallas!” he cried, unbelieving, as he sprang to his feet half dazzled at the ' wondrous light

that transformed her face. Slowly she came toward him. her glorious dark' eyes on his, her white hands outstretched in irresistible appeal. At last she spoke, “I love you!” she said. THE END.

”I love you!" she said.